Time
by A. K. Coxon
Summary: Time. Precious time. But how much time do the trio exactly have left? A Harry Potter fanfic, set in the midst of the Battle of Hogwarts.


"Can you believe she kissed me?" Ron said, dazed. Harry looked at his best friend who was completely out of it, grinning like the Cheshire cat. His freckles disappeared under the redness of his blush and his thoughts were back on Hermione and the softness of her kiss.

"Yes I can Ron, because unlike you I was there" Harry mumbled, rolling his eyes. Ron snapped round and looked at him, frowning. The ocean of blue in his eyes turned stormy, and his eyebrows furiously framed them.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Both of your heads were up in the clouds" Harry replied, diffusing the tension quickly to avoid yet another war, this time between him and his best friend. Ron's face was softer now, and Harry could see him slipping back in to the clouds he and Hermione had been stuck in.

"Do you think?" Ron said, looking off in to the distance. Harry sighed again and walked away and Ron followed as soon as he noticed Harry had gone.

"Can we just get on with what we have to do?" Harry called back over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I suppose" Ron said slightly annoyed. Harry just didn't understand how long he had waited for Hermione to kiss him.

"Guys!" Hermione said, running up to them. Harry noted that Ron turned a divine shade of beetroot.

"What's happening Hermione?" Harry said, ignoring Ron completely.

"The left side of the castles just blown up, only the wall has gone though" she said, out of breath.

"Is everyone ok?" Harry asked, dubious.

"No, 23 dead" she said looking glum.

Ron and Harry's faces dropped.

"But, 13 of them were death eaters or on Voldemort's side"

"Well that's a ray of sunshine. 10 innocent people died Hermione!"

Hermione bit her lip.  
"Hey, don't shout at her it's not her fault!" Ron said.

Harry sighed. Love. What rubbish.

"Anyway, we need to get back to the task. Find the rest of the horcruxes and destroy them"

"And You-Know-Who!" Ron said abit stupidly.

"Yeah, him too hopefully" Harry said.

"Let's go then, It's not like we have forever" Hermione said, sadness hidden in her brown eyes.

"Hey" said Ron, clasping her in his muscled arms. "Who know what will happen to us. But we have tried to make this world a better place for everyone"

"Ron is right Hermione, at least we tried" Harry said, putting his arms round both of them and kissing Hermione on the head.

"You know I love you both very much. You have been my family for so long. I don't want to lose you ever"

There was a bang somewhere in the distance. A cry echoed through the halls. Harry recognized it immediately.

"GINNY!" He shouted and ran.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other and ran after him.

The battle was in full swing. People were dropping to the floor and being carried off in stretchers. Harry ran past the hospital wing and stopped. It was full to bursting with the people he loved and cared about. It was like Death himself was in the room, hovering over each patient and sucking the life out of their injured bodies.

But Harry couldn't think about that now. He hadn't the time.

Tick Tock. Tick Tock.

A huge weight was on Harry's shoulders. He ran just a little faster to get into the Great Hall. He briefly saw Neville dueling a large death eater.

"Potter!"

Harry turned round.

Draco Malfoy was standing behind him.

"Malfoy. Look, what do you want?"

"You saved my life back there. Thanks."

"Draco I don't really have time for this"

"No, listen. He's in the shrieking shack. Snape is there too. I don't know why. I just wanted to tell you in case you needed him. I just thought it might be useful to you"

Draco turned and walked away.

"Hey Malfoy!" Harry said.

"Yeah?" he said, turning around.

"Cheers" He said, smiling.

Draco smiled back and turned away.

Harry stopped and looked in to the Hall. He watched all the people fighting for him and for a better standard of life for generations to come.

He turned towards the courtyard and walked slowly.

He knew what he had to do.

He had to end this.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked. Ron looked around.

"He must be battling somewhere" he said, the fear etched on his once happy features.

A red flash darted towards Hermione.

"NOOO!" Ron shouted, pushing Hermione out of the way and narrowly missing the spell himself. He shot one back to the death eater that sent it as he toppled over.

"Are you ok, Baby?" he said, rolling to face Hermione.

"Baby?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Sorry. It just slipped out"

Hermione smiled. Ron sat up and sighed. He turned to look at Hermione. She looked so beautiful lying there hair splayed all around her smiling face. He stood up and offered her his hand.

Hermione giggled and took it. Ron pulled Hermione up and put his hands round her waist.

"I'm not missing this chance" he said, pulling Hermione closer and kissing her again.

The world seemed to stand still for a while. Here he was, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter's less interesting, less attractive sidekick kissing the most beautiful girl in the world. They broke apart, not wanting to but knowing they had to.

"Hermione" Ron said, blushing to the gorgeous shade of beetroot that Hermione loved.

"Yeah?"

"I…urm…love you"

Now it was Hermione's turn to turn pink.

"I love you too" she said, giving him another kiss.

They walked towards the Great Hall, hand in hand.

Because, God knows how many kisses they had left.

Ginny Weasley was in a panic.

"Are you sure you haven't seen him?" she asked her brother.

"No, we are sure"

"Omigod!" Ginny exclaimed.

"You know Harry won't have done something totally stupid!"

"Yeah well where is he then?" Ginny asked.

"There" said Ron, pointing over her shoulder.

Ginny turned, almost as if the whole room was in slow motion.

She gasped as she saw the love of her life's limp body being cradled in Hagrid's arms.

The room seemed a blur as she blacked out.

"Ginny!" her mother shouted to her as she slowly woke up.

"Where is he? Where is Harry?" she asked, short of breath.

"Here" Harry said, peering over Ron's shoulder.

"What?" Ginny said, shocked.

"I'll explain later, right now we have to fight." He said, helping her up and kissing her forehead. He started to walk off and duel some death eaters.

"Hermione!" Ron said.  
"Ron, we don't have time!"

"We have all the time in the world. Will you marry me?"

"What?"  
"You heard me. I want you to be my wife before time runs out for the both of us"

"Ron I don't think now is the time…"

"Say you'll marry me!" Ron said.

"Ok then, I'll marry you!" Hermione said.

A large burly death eater shot a spell at the two. Ron dodged it and shot one back, knocking the death eater's mask off.

"Ron we can't get married now!" Hermione said, looking at her crazy fiancée with wonder on her face.

Ron ignored her and carried on shooting spells at random death eaters.

"Hey! Professor!" he shouted to Professor McGonagall.

McGonagall ran over to them.

"Yes Mr. Weasley?"

"You're a judge right?" he asked, throwing a curse at a slightly overweight death eater.

"Well, I am a retired Magical Law Judge, yes"

Hermione knew where this was going.  
"Will you marry us?" he asked, exactly like Hermione thought he would.

"What?!" Mrs. Weasley and McGonagall said in unison.

"Can you just do it please?" Hermione said, panting as she hit another cloaked death eater with a yellow spell.

"Ok. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman, Ronald Billius Weasley and Hermione…"

"Jean"

"Jean Granger in holy matrimony"

The pair smiled at each other.

"The story of your life together is still yours to write. All those present have come to witness and celebrate your love and commitment this day - eager to a part of the story not yet told."

Ron dodged a few more spells. The battle was really getting thick.

"Do you have any vows?" McGonagall asked.

"Erm, I have something memorized…" said Ron.

"Go on" McGonagall said.

"I love you, Not only for what you are, But for what I am when I am with you. I love you, Not only for what you have made of yourself, But for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out; I love you…"

He seemed to cut off for a bit.

"I can't remember the rest" he said, chuckling.

"Hermione?" McGonagall asked.

"I have some; they were what my mum and dad wanted for their renewal"

"Hurry!" Mrs. Weasley said, deflecting a curse that came hurling at her.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of being an ideal Grace"

"Right, Ron, Do you take Hermione to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I defiantly do"

"And Hermione, do you take Ron to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do!" Hermione said.

"Right, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss"

Ron and Hermione went to kiss as a spear was thrown into Hermione's arm.

They sprung apart.

"AAAAAAAAAH!" she screamed.

"I got it" Ron said, pulling the spear out gently.  
"You're lucky it wasn't in too deep 'Mione" Ron said.

He waved his wand and the wound healed.

"Where were we?" Hermione said.  
"Here" Ron replied and kissed her.

Harry rolled his eyes. They just didn't have time.

The room was silent. If a pin was dropped it would have made a massive bang.

Two wizards were standing on either side of the Hall, facing each other. The words coming out of the older one's mouth were more like hisses. The room was trying to work out what he was saying but failing. The smaller of the two seemed to talk in perfect English, him being the only one who could understand the man.

"No Voldemort. I'm not going to let you do this anymore. True love never loses, or dies."

With a flash the two wizards were connected by jets of pure light. Some of the onlookers squinted with the severity of the two spells. Voldemort's spell was a bright green, Harry's was a deep red.

The whole room stopped as Voldemort's spell backfired and hit him square in the chest.

He fell backwards, eyes returning to their pale sockets.

It was over.

All over.  
Harry Potter smiled and looked down at his enemy, now dead.

He had all the time in the world now.

And nobody could ever take it away from him.


End file.
